MONTAGUE—Painter Kerry J. Stone once told fiber artist Jill S. Bromberg that if the sunny space on the second floor of the annex at The Montague Bookmill ever became available, they should open a gallery.

It did, and they did.

Sawmill River Arts officially opened Sept. 17. It’s owned an operated by its members and is a partnership of 10 Pioneer Valley painters, fiber artists, a jeweler, a potter, a weaver and a photographer.

Located along the Sawmill River in the Montague Center section of Montague in the annex of an 1842 gristmill, the gallery is open Thursday through Sunday from noon-6 p.m.

With plenty of light streaming in from banks of windows overlooking the Sawmill River, the gallery is awash in color: a purple lilac painting, a red felt bowl, indigo antique beaded jewelry, a whimsical orange dog in a painting, a bright pink edging to a hanging art quilt, white-washed farm-themed pottery, an eggplant pottery casserole, a sky-blue baby quilt and so much more.

The gallery features the work of a dozen consigners along with that of the 10 core members from Franklin and Hampshire counties who share the staffing of the gallery: painters Lana Fiala, Kerry Stone, Christine Mero, Louise Minks and Aaron Michael Becker; fiber artist Jill Bromberg; potter Jaye Pope; jeweler and fiber artist Sue Essig; weaver Susan Loring-Wells; and photographer Christopher Benning.

Photo by Cori UrbanPainter Kerry J. Stone, a core member of Sawmill River Arts in Montague, shows one of her acrylic paintings at the gallery.

“We want cheerful, quality art” of various media, Bromberg said.

Combined with the surroundings, the art makes the place colorful, uplifting and bright.

“We just want it all to feel good,” Bromberg said. “We want people to enjoy being in this space and to linger.”

Located in a complex that features a bookstore, restaurants and a music store, Sawmill River Arts rounds out the offerings making the complex a destination for visitors from throughout the Pioneer Valley and beyond.

“You feel like you’re on vacation when you’re in here,” Bromberg said.

Items in the gallery sell for a wide range of prices from cards for $2.50 to lavender pillows for $10, to photographs for $25 to paintings from $50-$600 to wooden sculptures for $2,800.

The oak-floored gallery is “still a work in progress,” Bromberg said, and displays are often change and expanded in what Stone called “a labor of love.”

Photo by Cori UrbanSawmill River Arts is located at The Montague Bookmill, along the banks of the Sawmill River in the Montague Center section of Montague.

There are featured exhibits and public Internet research classes catering to community advocates, educators and small business owners throughout Pioneer Valley.

Plans call for special shows, benefit auctions and art-related classes to be part of the Sawmill River Arts palette.

Every time Stone sells a painting, she gives 10 percent to charity. “It’s a way I can help in the world,” she said.

If you go

What: Sawmill River ArtsWhere: The Montague Bookmill, Montague CenterHours: Thursday through Sunday from noon-6 p.m. For more info: www.sawmillriverarts.com

She and Bromberg were college art majors together in Iowa. “We had a vision in college of having an art gallery together,” she recalled. “So this is really exciting for us.”